“If you actually had it in a regulated way where you can control the THC – which is the drug, the cannabis drug part of it – you can actually stop some of the more serious problems with marijuana usage,’’ he said.

According to the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, carried out in 2010, more than 35 per cent of Australians aged over 14 years have used cannabis. Mr Christensen said if cannabis was legalised, North Queensland would be an ideal location for supporting it as a new crop industry.

“It could be grown anywhere,’’ he said.

“Where they grow tobacco, or where they grow sugarcane, you can grow this.”

Joe Muscat has been growing industrial hemp – which does not contain THC – on his cane farm about 35km southwest of Mackay for more than a decade.

Queensland has allowed industrial production under licence since 2002, where the issuance is controlled under the Drugs Misuse Act 1986.

Growers are subject to spot checks of their crops and police background checks.

Mr Muscat said there was enormous potential for the fibrous crop, which is used in everything from strengthening bulletproof vests through to building materials, to be grown across North Queensland, which had the perfect tropical climate for the cannabis plant.

Comments on this story

Decrim cannabis of Townsville Posted at 6:55 AM February 20, 2014

Dawson MP George Christensen needs to use some initiative on this matter and introduce the proposal to our esteemed Premier that cannabis is decriminalised - a further proposal is that for a small fee, say $50 per year (no that's too bureaucratic, make it 2 years), an application with a relevant department is lodged by a cannabis user to grow say 3 plants in their own yard for personal use. This would provide revenue to the state government and decrease criminal activity. As a weekend smoker (I don't smoke cigarettes and my alcohol intake is limited) I cannot stand the seedy process to "score" a few harmless joints. Now I say harmless as I am a professional, I don't smoke during the working week, I am a parent and my children do not witness me smoking said joints. The stereotypical image of a cannabis smoker from the late 1960s is not relevant today as society has evolved - I would hope that the logic of our elected representatives has also evolved, but perhaps I am too optimistic.

Michael Blackman Posted at 6:37 PM February 19, 2014

Cannabis prohibition hands the control of the cannabis market over to criminals. Criminals don't ask for age ID when they sell cannabis. Decriminalization does not stop the black market. Legalization and regulation for responsible adults is the only way to go. However there are two camps that don't want this to happen. Those who get many millions to enforce the prohibition and the black market profiteers who like earning a few thousand dollars a pound for a WEED that was virtually worthless prior to prohibition..... Prohibition costs the country a fortune and makes criminals rich and does not protect children. Legalization and regulation and taxation earns the country a fortune and denies criminals a commodity and denies them a cannabis fortune and protects children in the same way alcohol regulation works. Thanks to prohibition cannabis is more popular than it ever was prior to prohibition. The world will be a better place when cannabis is made legal once again. Cannabis addiction is completely laughable since all the addicts attending rehab are there by choice to avoid fines or worse.....or they are just desperate children out for attention.

Legalize Freedom of Townsville Posted at 11:34 AM February 18, 2014

This country has an alcohol problem of diabolic proportions yet it's socially accepted and all "legal". Cannabis is one of the most powerful healing plants on the planet, has multiple industrial uses and health benefits...which is why it's demonized.
People are stuck in a paradigm of believing outdated propaganda instituted by Government. Turn off your television and start doing some independent research, you might be surprised what you learn. No victim = no crime. Legalize common sense, legalize freedom !

THEIR days on the court may be over but former Townsville Fire players Aneka Davis, Cherie Gallagher and Julia Duroux will be cheering from the sideline when the team takes on Bendigo in the grand final.